Romney backer Snyder wants less talk on bailouts, 'right to work'

2/16/12 7:51 PM EST

Mitt Romney spent much of Thursday billing himself as an avowed opponent of organized labor whose approach to the 2009 auto bailouts would have worked better than President Barack Obama’s.

His top endorser in the state, Republican Gov. Rick Snyder, then told reporters Thursday night that it’s a mistake for candidates to focus on litigating the turnaround of the auto industry.

“I don’t view it as a good discussion to have, but it’s gonna happen,” Snyder said at the Oakland County GOP’s Lincoln Day Dinner. “The way I look at it is, you’re armchair quarterbacking … Why spend all the time on that when we have too much unemployment today?”

Snyder, who takes a more favorable view of the auto bailouts, has said for months that candidates shouldn’t spend too much time on the issue.

Asked what conclusions could be drawn about Romney based on his opposition to the bailout, Snyder evaded: “I’m not gonna judge that. I view that as – that’s history, and let’s move forward, and let’s talk about who has good plans for the future of our country.”

He also declined to say what impact the bailout debate might have on the Feb. 28 primary.

“It’s hard to predict. There are so many other variables,” he said. “I wouldn’t spend a lot of time dwelling on it.”

Snyder declined to criticize Romney for taking a different view of “right to work” legislation than he does. But Snyder reiterated that he opposes efforts to pass a right to work bill in Michigan, while Romney has praised the policy.

“I’m firm in my position that it shouldn’t be something I want to see on my desk and we shouldn’t be spending time in Michigan on it. There are more important issues and we’re showing great progress,” Snyder said.

The governor, elected in 2010 after running an outsider campaign that branded him “One Tough Nerd,” said he was not concerned about polls showing Romney trailing Santorum in a state Romney’s campaign has worked hard.

“Well, it’s a big state and, again, he’s been busy on the campaign trail. Let’s just play this out. There’s a long time, in a primary context, of saying there’s a week and a half here. And it’s just getting ramped up in Michigan,” he said, offering little information about what he’d be doing to boost Romney in the state.